My top 10 experiences supporting Manly

[Nike]

I remember being like 12 and at the game where Hopoate ended his career. I was sitting with my dad on the benches near the sideline, so had a literal front row seat watching Hopoate line up Galloway and damn near kill him - I legit thought the dude was dead, the game stopped for ages! Manly were absolutely dominating the Sharks that day and we still ran away with it even after he was sent off.

Sat around the same spot when I think it was Michael Witt who kicked a penalty goal from touch for Manly to win the first ever golden point game. Again I was pretty young and back then they still had the cardboard corner posts, so the whole time Witt was doing his routine there were these guys getting ready to throw me over the fence to race the other kids to get the post haha. I did get it, just in case you were wondering.

I was at the Battle of Brookie but that game was so full I couldn't see **** lmao, I don't think we were even trying to watch cause there was no where to stand. I didn't even see what had happened until I got home and saw the highlights on the news. No regrets though, sliding down the back of the hill when you're a kid is it's own S tier Manly supporter experience.

Leaving the best for last I remember Round 26, 2002. I would've been almost 9 so forgive my memory but I'll set the scene. The Bulldogs had been caught cheating the cap and docked points, they go from first to last. It's the last round of the year and we're playing the Panthers, who are coming last, at Brookvale on a Sunday afternoon.

As a result of the aforementioned salary cap scandal, the Bulldogs getting knocked off left the Northern Eagles in a position where a win of any kind would've seen us fall over the line into the finals. Penrith are coming last, I can hear ads on the radio talking about cats getting swooped and wings getting clipped, easy enough right?

Nope. 28-68, and I still don't know what the **** that was all about ay.

 

[manly al]

I remember being like 12 and at the game where Hopoate ended his career. I was sitting with my dad on the benches near the sideline, so had a literal front row seat watching Hopoate line up Galloway and damn near kill him - I legit thought the dude was dead, the game stopped for ages! Manly were absolutely dominating the Sharks that day and we still ran away with it even after he was sent off.

Sat around the same spot when I think it was Michael Witt who kicked a penalty goal from touch for Manly to win the first ever golden point game. Again I was pretty young and back then they still had the cardboard corner posts, so the whole time Witt was doing his routine there were these guys getting ready to throw me over the fence to race the other kids to get the post haha. I did get it, just in case you were wondering.

I was at the Battle of Brookie but that game was so full I couldn't see **** lmao, I don't think we were even trying to watch cause there was no where to stand. I didn't even see what had happened until I got home and saw the highlights on the news. No regrets though, sliding down the back of the hill when you're a kid is it's own S tier Manly supporter experience.

Leaving the best for last I remember Round 26, 2002. I would've been almost 9 so forgive my memory but I'll set the scene. The Bulldogs had been caught cheating the cap and docked points, they go from first to last. It's the last round of the year and we're playing the Panthers, who are coming last, at Brookvale on a Friday afternoon.

As a result of the aforementioned salary cap scandal, the Bulldogs getting knocked off left the Northern Eagles in a position where a win of any kind would've seen us fall over the line into the finals. Penrith are coming last, I can hear ads on the radio talking about cats getting swooped and wings getting clipped, easy enough right?

Nope. 28-68, and I still don't know what the **** that was all about ay.

Some pretty memorable experiences there and some of the better outcomes for Manly .
Just trying to recall that Michael Witt goal , could be quite elusive at times Michael Witt and his goal kicking usually good but defence sometimes a bit iffy .
Certainly not trying to be picky but that Panthers crushing win was on a Sunday afternoon and clearly recall Manly were expected to win . Quite a let down considering the opportunity for Manly
.Gower , Lewis and Wesser were pretty good and didn "t the Panthers then go on to win the comp in 2003 .
Anyway must be really good to have seen these type of matches live

 

[Scorpio]

The 2014 comeback against Penrith at Brookvale was a good one. First home Sunday afternoon game in 4 months and weather was warm and dry for a change. We were pretty ordinary for over half the game and trailed by 16 points, but won after scoring two tries in the last 5 minutes. Tom Symonds with a career double as well:

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

The 2014 comeback against Penrith at Brookvale was a good one. First home Sunday afternoon game in 4 months and weather was warm and dry for a change. We were pretty ordinary for over half the game and trailed by 16 points, but won after scoring two tries in the last 5 minutes. Tom Symonds with a career double as well:

I was there for that one , with my late son in law Mick ( a Panther ).

We flew down from Brisbane for the day. Right up the back of the hill with the tragics .

We were gone for all money.

What a win

 

[The Wheel]

Some pretty memorable experiences there and some of the better outcomes for Manly .
Just trying to recall that Michael Witt goal , could be quite elusive at times Michael Witt and his goal kicking usually good but defence sometimes a bit iffy .
Certainly not trying to be picky but that Panthers crushing win was on a Sunday afternoon and clearly recall Manly were expected to win . Quite a let down considering the opportunity for Manly
.Gower , Lewis and Wesser were pretty good and didn "t the Panthers then go on to win the comp in 2003 .
Anyway must be really good to have seen these type of matches live

I think you will find it was a Ben Walker goal

 

[Nike]

Some pretty memorable experiences there and some of the better outcomes for Manly .
Just trying to recall that Michael Witt goal , could be quite elusive at times Michael Witt and his goal kicking usually good but defence sometimes a bit iffy .
Certainly not trying to be picky but that Panthers crushing win was on a Sunday afternoon and clearly recall Manly were expected to win . Quite a let down considering the opportunity for Manly
.Gower , Lewis and Wesser were pretty good and didn "t the Panthers then go on to win the comp in 2003 .
Anyway must be really good to have seen these type of matches live

It's funny because the period I actually attended the footy was when we were the Northern Eagles and we got flogged regularly, my dad would take me along and we'd either sit on the sideline as close to halfway or in the southern stand if the rain came - no one was checking tickets then I stopped going regularly in 2007, couldn't make that up haha.

You got me thinking about Witt and it made me go back to have a look, turns out it was actually Ben Walker who kicked it. In my defense, I was 10 years old.